Grapevine &#39;IFG Six&#39;

ABSTRACT

This invention is a new and distinct grapevine variety denominated ‘IFG Six’. The new grapevine is characterized by producing naturally large, extremely elongated, narrow diameter, crisp, seedless black berries having a distinct dimple on the distal end. The fruit ripen and are commercially harvestable from late August to mid-September. Berries color to full black and store well.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES CLAIMED

Vitis vinifera

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘IFG Six’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new and distinct grapevine described and claimed herein originated from a hand pollination of the Beita Mouni (non-patented) variety and an unnamed USDA selection designated ‘C22-121’ performed in May 2004. The resulting plants were planted into the field in April 2005. The present variety of grapevine was selected as a single plant in July 2006 and was first asexually propagated by hardwood cuttings in December 2006. The resulting propagules were planted during April 2007 near Delano, Kern County Calif.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new grapevine ‘IFG Six’ is characterized by producing large, extremely elongated cylindrical seedless black fruit with a characteristic dimpled tip. The shape, which to the author's knowledge is unique among seedless table grape varieties, provides consumers with a distinct visual signal to identify the new variety. The new variety is further characterized by producing large berries that do not require any gibberellic acid application or trunk girdling to attain commercially acceptable berry size. Berries are completely black, crisp in texture and of high eating quality. Vines of ‘IFG Six’ are moderately productive. The fruit ripen in mid to late August and are moderately prone to sunburn damage. Fruit store well and are suitable for international commerce and long-term cold storage.

‘IFG Six’ differs from its maternal parent by producing elongated black seedless berries as opposed to seeded white fruits of the ‘Beita Mouni’. It differs from its pollen parent by producing much larger more crisp seedless berries with a distinct dimpled end which the ‘C22-121’ lacks.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE

The accompanying photographic illustration in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color ‘IFG Six’. The colors are as nearly true as is reasonably possible in a color representation of this type.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Throughout this specification, color names beginning with a small letter signify that the name of that color, as used in common speech, is aptly descriptive. Color names beginning with a capital letter designate values based upon R.H.S. Colour Chart, published by The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England.

Throughout this specification subjective description values conform to those set forth by the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute publication ‘Descriptors for Grape’ (Vitis spp.) (1983) which was developed in collaboration with the Office International de la Vigne et du Vin (OIV) and the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV).

The descriptive matter which follows pertains to ‘IFG Six’ plants grown in the vicinity of Delano, Kern County, Calif. during 2009 and 2010, and is believed to apply to plants of the variety grown under similar conditions of soil and climate elsewhere:

-   Vine:     -   -   General.—Size Large — Medium Vigor — Vigorous Density of             foliage — Medium Productivity — Moderately Productive Root             stock — Own root Training method — Typically spur pruned             leaving 2 bud spurs but may benefit from longer canes in             some conditions.         -   Trunk.—Trunk diameter of 4-year-old vines at 30 cm above the             soil line — 6.1 cm Shape — Medium to Stocky Straps — Short —             Split Surface texture — Medium rough Inner bark color —             Brown; 165A, B, 164A, 177B. -   Shoots:     -   -   Young shoot—Form of tip — Wide open Distribution of             anthocyanin coloration of tip — Absent Intensity of             anthocyanin coloration of tip — Absent Density of prostrate             hairs of tip — Dense Density of erect hairs of tip — Absent             Color — Green; 145A, 146 A, B.         -   Woody shoot (mature canes).—Shape — Stocky — Medium Thick             Internode length — Short; About 10.6 cm Width at node —             About 0.8 cm Cross section — Circular Surface — Striate Main             color — Yellowish brown; 166A, B, C, D, 165A, 164D, 174A             Density of erect hairs of nodes — Medium Density of erect             hairs on internodes — Medium Growth of axillary shoots —             Weak; Approximately 12.1 cm.         -   Flowering shoot.—Vigor during flowering — Strong Attitude             during flowering on shoots not tied — Drooping Color —             dorsal side of internodes — Green with Red stripes Color —             ventral side of internodes — Green with Red stripes Color —             dorsal side of nodes — Green Color — ventral side of nodes —             Green with Red stripes Density of prostrate hairs of nodes —             Sparse Density of erect hairs of nodes — Very sparse to             Sparse Density of prostrate hairs on internode — Sparse             Density of erect hairs on internode — None Anthocyanin             coloration of buds — Absent.         -   Tendrils.—Distribution on the shoot (at full flowering) —             Discontinuous Length of Tendril — Medium; About 21.7 cm             Thickness — medium to thick Color — Yellow — Green; N144A,             144B, C Form — Bifurcated to Mostly trifurcated,             occasionally bifurcated or quadfurcated Number of             consecutive tendrils — 2. -   Leaves:     -   -   Young leaves.—Color of upper surface of first four distal             unfolded leaves — Green; 144A, 146A Average intensity of             anthocyanin coloration of six distal leaves prior to             flowering — Absent Density of prostrate hairs between veins             (lower surface) — Sparse Density of prostrate hairs on veins             (lower surface) — Medium Density of erect hairs between             veins (lower surface) — Absent Density of erect hairs on             veins (lower surface) — Sparse.         -   Mature leaves.—Average length — About 13.2 cm Average width             — About 18.2 cm Mature leaf size — Small — Medium Shape of             blade — Pentagonal Number of lobes — 5 Anthocyanin             coloration of main veins on upper side of blade — Absent             Mature leaf profile — Undulate Blistering surface of blade             upper surface — Weak Leaf blade tip — In the plane of the             leaf Undulation of margin — Medium Thickness — Medium             Undulation of blade between main and lateral veins — Only             near petiole Shape of teeth — Mixture of both sides straight             and both sides convex Length of teeth — Short Ratio             length/width of teeth — Small Shape of upper lateral sinuses             — Lobes slightly overlapping Depth of upper lateral sinuses             — Medium General shape petiole sinus — Lobes half             overlapping Shape of base of upper leaf sinuses — U-shaped             Shape of the base of the Petiole Sinus — V-shaped Tooth at             petiole sinus — Absent Density of prostrate hairs between             veins on lower surface of blade — Sparse Density if erect             hairs between veins on lower surface of blade — Absent             Density of prostrate hairs on main veins on lower surface of             blade — Sparse — Medium Density of erect hairs on main veins             on lower surface of blade — Sparse Density of prostrate             hairs on main veins on upper surface of blade — Very sparse             Density of erect hairs on main veins on upper surface of             blade — None Autumn coloration of leaves — Grey-Yellow;             162A, B, Grey-Red; 181 A, B, 182A, Grey-Purple; 187A, B,             183C, D, 187A.         -   Upper surface.—Color — Green; 147A, 137A, B Anthocyanin             coloration of main veins — Absent Surface appearance — Dull             Blistering surface of blade — Weak to Medium.         -   Lower surface.—Color — Green; 137 B, C, D Anthocyanin             coloration of main veins (lower surface) — Absent Glossiness             — Weak to Medium Surface texture — Rugose Surface appearance             — Semi-glossy to Dull.         -   Petiole.—Length — About 11.0 cm Length of petiole compared             to middle vein — Slightly shorter Density of prostrate hairs             on petiole — Sparse Density of erect hairs on petiole —             None.         -   Buds.—Bud fruitfulness— Basal: Mostly fruitful Position of             first fruitful shoot on previous season cane — 1^(st) to             2^(nd) node Time of bud burst — Very early; Feb. 18, 2010. -   Flowers:     -   -   General.—Flower sex — Hermaphrodite Length of first             inflorescence — Medium; About 23.8 cm long by 12.9 cm wide             Position of first flowering and fruiting node —             4^(th)-5^(th) node (current season growth) Number of             inflorescence per flowering shoot — 1.1 to 2 Time of bloom —             Medium as compared with similar varieties in the growing             area of Delano, Calif. Date of full bloom — May 18, 2010. -   Fruit:     -   -   General.—Ripening period — Midseason; mid August to early             September Use — Fresh market Keeping quality — Good             Resistance to — Insects: Average, typical of Vitis vinifera             species. Diseases: Average, typical of Vitis vinifera             species Refractometer test — solid-sugar: About 19.4 Brix             Brix/acid — About 51.1 Titratable acidity — About 0.38 Juice             pH — About 3.88.         -   Cluster.—Mature cluster length (peduncle excluded) — About             29.0 cm Mature cluster width — About 16.7 cm Mature cluster             weight — About 1079 g Bunch density — Loose — usually             requires no additional thinning Number of berries — About             154 Form — Cylindrical.         -   Peduncle.—Lignification of peduncle — Weak to Medium Length             of peduncle — Approximately 6.0 cm.         -   Berry.—Uniformity of size — Uniform Single berry weight —             About 10.0 g Shape — Cylindrical usually having a dimpled             tip Seeds — Absent Cross section — Circular Berry dimensions             — Longitudinal axis: About 41 mm. Horizontal axis: About 18             mm Berry firmness — Medium firm to crisp Particular flavor —             Neutral Bloom (cuticular wax) — Medium to heavy Berry             separation from pedicel — Medium strong Skin color (without             bloom) — Blue-black; 202A.         -   Skin.—Thickness — Medium Texture — Medium tough Reticulation             — Absent Tenacity — Tenacious to flesh. 

1. A new and distinct variety of grapevine as herein illustrated and described. 